Scheduling Your 2021 Job
If you have been in contact with nearly any company in the construction industry, then you are well aware of the wait times for your job to get started right now. While we are so grateful to be busy, we also hate to tell our potential customers about how long it might be until we can get to their hardwood project. We want to shed a bit of light on why these long wait times are happening and give you some tips to stay on track with your 2021 hardwood flooring project, or any home improvement project you have in mind!
Blame it on Covid
Like many things that have happened over the last year, we can also sort of blame this one on Covid. Why? Well, homeowners have been spending so much time in their houses, which has prompted a lot of people to start tackling the projects that they have been putting off for years. We are also receiving calls from a lot of people who no longer want carpet in their homes for sanitary reasons - it is a lot easier to clean a hardwood floor than it is to lug in a carpet cleaner or pay a company to do it.
…also the Housing Market
Yep, this hot topic item is also affecting our schedule. Homes are selling for premium prices right now, so a lot of homeowners are eager to sell and get top dollar for their house. One thing that helps raise the price of a home is newly refinished hardwood floors, so homeowners who might have floors that are out of date or that are beat up are eagerly looking for a company to make them look good as new before they list their house on the market.
How to Prepare
Scheduling your home improvement projects right now is not like any other time in the past. Typically, we would book out about a month. Now, we are booking out far beyond that, and this is typical for most other companies we speak with. So, if you have a project you might want to be completed in the Fall or Winter, we highly recommend that you start connected with contractors now to reserve your preferred date and to stay on your desired timeline for project completion. We know this sounds like a crazy long time to plan ahead, but trust us, you want to do it!
How Long Will This Last?
Great question! We have no idea. While we can expect for things to level out eventually, we cannot predict the market trend or when demand will start to balance out. The best we can do is to serve our customers with the best care possible and to be absolutely transparent with them about the timeline for their project.
If you want to get in touch about your 2021, let’s chat today!
We want YOU to Join the Trades!
Get inspired to create a career in the trades!
As a company with three generations of family working as hardwood flooring specialists, and countless friends who have also built careers in the trade of their choice, we know a thing or two about the benefits of working in the trades vs. pursuing a 4-year degree right out of high school. There is a lot of pressure for kids to get a degree, but according to Entrepreneur, 30% of students only go to a 4-year college because they think it’s the only choice after high school, and another 23% only go because it’s “expected of them”. We want to help educate students about the other option for a career in the trades, and truly believe that working with your hands is the best option for a happy + fulfilled life for a lot of people.
The Problem
“Over the last 30 years, America has convinced itself that the best path for the most people is an expensive, four-year degree. Pop culture has glorified the “corner office job” while unintentionally belittling the jobs that helped build the corner office. As a result, our society has devalued any other path to success and happiness.” - Mike Rowe Works Foundation
No Debt!
One of the best benefits of joining the trades after high school is no debt! According to U.S. News, the average college graduate walks away with $30,000+ in debt. Compare this to starting a career right out of high school with Duane’s Floor Service. You have no debt and you start earning right away through an apprenticeship while working on actual job sites and getting to know the ins-and-outs of the hardwood flooring business.
Should You Choose a Trade?
It’s undeniable that a 4-year degree is the best option for a lot of people, but it’s definitely not the right choice for everyone, and that’s where we are failing our kids. By not educating them on the other career options, we are unintentionally pushing students who could thrive in the trades to a 4-year degree that they don’t really want (or need), and that they will be paying off for many years to come.
We encourage you to ask yourself and talk with your kids about what they picture for their future. The great thing about college is that it’s always an option, so if you want to try a trade for a few years, you really have nothing to lose! Create the path that is right for you, that will foster your talents and help you build a career that you are excited about.
Join the DFS Team!
If you or a student you know might be interested in working with our team as a Hardwood Flooring Specialist, we would love to connect with you! Check out our careers page to submit an application and we will reach out soon.
Committed to our Customers
With 54 years in the hardwood flooring industry we understand what it takes to succeed: quality of work and customer service.
If there is one thing we have learned in our 54 years as a company, it is that happy customers are the key to lasting success. Every long standing company knows that every job will not go perfectly, but that doesn’t mean that any customer should be unsatisfied with their final product.
As a construction service company, each job-site we step onto has unique challenges, but our promise to our customer is this: we will give you the highest quality of craftsmanship and customer service possible. And that’s the secret to lasting success: quality of work and customer service.
We strive to maintain our reputation through unwavering dedication to happy customers. When you visit our testimonials page, you can see a few examples of the heart warming responses we get from our customers when they see their finished hardwood floors.
New team member, Matthew Gullickson, learning on the job!
When we add new members to our team, we focus mainly on their character when deciding if they would be a good addition to our team. We are proud to employ honest, hardworking employees who are respectful of our customers and their homes.
If you would like to work with our team and experience the DFS difference for yourself, contact us today to set up a free estimate!
Duane's Does Decks!
Introducing our new service, deck refinishing!
As a company, we pride ourselves on being the best in the industry with every service we offer. This is the reason why we focus solely on hardwood flooring services and don’t expand our services into many other flooring types.
In summer 2019, we noticed an area of opportunity to help homeowners with a new area of hardwood in their home: the deck. Many Minnesotans have wood decks that take quite the beating during our harsh winters. It seems that no matter what finish you choose, you always end up having to refinish your deck every 2 years due to flaking finish and weather wear-and-tear.
As professionals in wood refinishing, it made sense for us to expand our service into wooden decks. Now, we can do the dirty job of deck refinishing for you! We will sand off your old, flaking finish and reapply a new finish that will make your deck look good as new!
Contact Neva today to discuss your deck refinishing project! And keep scrolling to see an example of a recent refinish done by our team.
Before
After!
Team Work Makes the Dream Work
Without a well functioning team, we would not be able to deliver the best hardwood floors in the industry. Learn more about the team work behind every job we do.
At Duane’s Floor Service, any hardwood job we touch is a team effort. Our team is built start-to-finish to bring you the best customer service experience and the most beautiful floors on the block. So, what does the process with Duane’s look like?
Let’s start with your first touch point - Neva. Neva is one of the company owners and is the magic in the office. From guiding customers to the best hardwood choice for them (trust her, she has almost all of them in her house!), to scheduling, invoicing, and problem solving - she truly wears all the hats.
Our wonderful owners, Troy & Neva Gullickson
When you schedule an estimate, we have a rotating team who will come to your home, measure your project, and discuss your options. We encourage all potential customers to ask any question you might have about your hardwood project, our company, and how we will work together to provide you with an experience that you cannot find with any other hardwood flooring company.
Now we get to work. Whether you are getting an entirely new floor installed, refinishing existing floors, or repairing some unsightly damage, we are dedicated to working hard. Staying on schedule and delivering flawless hardwood floors is the mission we set out to accomplish every day.
Sam and Mike hard at work!
Happy customers who are beyond excited to invite their neighbors over to show them their new floors is the greatest gift we receive as a company. Our ultimate goal is a happy customer, and none of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication that our team brings to the jobsite every single day.
So, thank you to our customers and thank you to our team. We couldn’t do what we do without you.
It's in Our Blood
With three active generations on our Duane’s Floor Service team, there are still opportunities for growth and learning.
The love for hardwood floors is in our blood. We have three active generations working right now; our founder and grandfather Duane Gullickson, owner and father Troy Gullickson, and future-owner and son Sam Gullickson.
Sam has nearly two decades of hardwood flooring experience under his belt, but there are still jobs where half-a-century of experience is needed.
We recently completed a double herringbone hardwood floor design, and were beyond blessed to have Duane here to guide Sam through the process.
Installing a double herringbone floors require a lot of focus and concentration to ensure that the boards align perfectly and that the design is flawless. These two seasoned floorsman did an incredible job with this installation and we always love to see our generations working and learning together.